


Young Justice: Apokolips War

by uniquecellest



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Family, Near Death, Other, Romance, Teamwork, injuries, no actual death though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:13:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26755609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uniquecellest/pseuds/uniquecellest
Summary: After seeing Apokolips War, I wanted to bring my own interpretation of it into Young Justice!This is post-season 3, which I haven't watched season three but I will be doing my best to jeep it canonish but there is no Dick/Babs in this.Anyways, I hope you enjoy.
Relationships: Diana (Wonder Woman)/Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson/Zatanna Zatara, Tim Drake/Cassie Sandsmark
Comments: 33
Kudos: 129





	1. Chapter 1

Bruce is in the Bat Cave with Barbara, Dick, and Tim. None of the Leaguers or members of the Team knew what they were about to do. After getting back from Rimbor a couple years ago, Batman had made the discovery of Darkside and his home world Apokolips is coming for Earth. He has wanted to tell the league, but it seems that they all get split up to take up on other major events. So, Bruce has kept quiet, monitoring Apokolips.

And now is the time to act. If he and the others of the “Bat Family” as Dick and Barbara like to call them, even rubbing it off of Tim, are able to get to Apokolips and take Darkside on by surprise then he or Robin, Nightwing, or Oracle will have to mention anything to anyone. Of course, with Barbara confined to a wheelchair now, Bruce – even if he wants all the back up he can get – is not to keen on taking her off world. But just like Bruce and all of his kids, she is stubborn and will not change her mind.

“Is everyone ready?” Bruce asks as the Bat Jet appears, the second one that is. One that will hold more than a single passenger. Everyone nods. Alfred appears to see them off.

“Master Bruce, I take it you and the others are departing?” Bruce nods. Alfred then pulls out some letters. “And what am I to do with these?”

Dick speaks up. He informs Alfred to keep them and give them to the necessary people if they have been gone a while, but if they return then to just hand them back to the people who wrote the letters and they will do what needs to be done. Alfred nods, as he sees Bruce, Dick, Tim, and Barbara board the jet as they head off into space. After the jet gate closes, Alfred looks at the envelops encasing the letters.

 _To Zee_ , Master Dick writing to his only love despite them not being together anymore. She was the only one who brought certain sparkle to his eyes that has never died down. Even behind the mask, when she is brought up when he talks about her, the sparkles always appear.

 _To Dad_ , Miss Barbara. Even with her dad running the police and working with Batman, the young girl has always idolized the work her father and Master Bruce and his young wards have done. No doubt a letter telling him that she wanted to go, that if anything happens it’s no one’s fault but her own.

 _To Diana_ , Master Bruce. He may not always admit it but Alfred knows that the Amazon Warrior Princess does seem to be a challenge to Master Bruce. They work well has colleagues, the worst part is that Bruce might fear that mixing his personal and work life will not be good. After all, Joker is the reason why Miss Barbara is confined to a wheelchair. And while Bruce knows that Diana can take care of herself, he doesn’t want to risk something like that happening again; keeping his heart and personal feelings to the side, his work first.

 _To Cassie_ , Master Tim. Even if they don’t work on the same missions anymore, Master Tim does care for Wonder Girl. Just like the Zatanna does for Master Dick, Cassie does the same to Master Tim. If only Tim wasn’t so dense when it comes to romance.

Alfred hopes that they all make it back.

. . . . . .

Dick notices Tim letting out a breath that he had been holding once they are in space, and deep breathing the further they get away from Earth, the Watch Tower, their friends, their family. Dick moves from the second row to the very back where Tim is.

“Are you okay?” The oldest Bat child asks the youngest.

“I don’t know.” Tim answers truthfully. “Cassie and I are kinda rocky right now and I’m scared that she is thinking of breaking-up with me. We have a date this week and I’m worried about it. Worried that she’ll either officially break-up with me or I won’t make it back in time which will undoubtedly lead to a break-up.”

Dick places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back in time for your date and you can give her the Bat Family Charm all over again, and she won’t break-up with you.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Bruce’s voice tells the others to strap in. While the two brothers were talking, it turns out that they got to close to Apokolips. Actually, close is an understatement. They are right in front it. All four of them going over the battle plan, any back up plans they may need to do. Any extra actions in case something happens to him. They just hope that everything goes right and that no one but them will ever have to know.


	2. Chapter 2

Cassie is pacing back and forth in the Watchtower it’s been days since and the other’s left. During that time she has tried to get ahold of him through their coms, M’gann trying to link their minds, their phones and social media. Nothing. Either he is ignoring her or something weird is going on to the point that he is unable to receive any type of communication.

They were supposed to have a date last night and despite him and Batman, Arrowette, Spoiler, Black Lightning, and others leaving the league she did hope that he would show. They decided to go to Canada because of everything that was going on, they had decided a place outside of America so that they could get some new and fresh air and not have to think about the future and what was happening but living in that exact moment. In their date, in their world, without anyone knowing who they were. Needless to sat that he did not show up.

She wasn’t sure how long she was in Canada until she got called in to help Spoiler and Arrowette in Gotham with someone called Red Hood. At first Cassie had thought the Joker was reliving the past with his old moniker for whatever reason but when she had gotten there, Red hood is more muscular than Joker, has more of a red mask-like hood more than the bullet one Joker wore, a grey shirt, brown jacket, black boots, and black-grey colored cargo pants. He was able to take Arrowette and Spoiler out no problem. They were close, or at least Cassie likes to think they were, during their fight she was on the brink of exhaustion she was able to demask him. She had felt her heart stop. Unlike when they had found out that Artemis had faked her death and most of them feeling betrayed by Nightwing, Cassie knows that the grief that The Team, League, and especially Batman and Nightwing and Barbara felt when they had thought he had died. Batman was becoming more erratic when fighting others. Everyone had thought that he would end up sending someone to the hospital or grave. That was until Tim came in. He helped the entire Bat Family grieve and not break their rule of severely hurting or killing people. Now that most of the Bat Family seems to be M.I.A the lost one has returned.

He has been reintroduced to all heroes and sidekicks now as who he is. Everyone else, Joker, Luthor, Gordon, etc., as Red Hood – which kinda ticks Joker off a bit, making Red Hood the second person he considers an enemy after Batman – making people of Gotham feel safe. Sort of.

* * *

Jason has snuck into the Bat Cave and sees Alfred at a computer with a headset on pretending to be Bruce. "Hello Alfred." Jason says.

"Master Jason, is that really you?"

"Yep. Honestly, I thought you would be more shocked. Besides, where's Bruce? I didn't see him with the others, thought he would like to see me."

"He and the others would be glad to see you, and shocked. If they were here."

Jason hones his sight on Alfred. "What do you mean 'if they were-'" he is cut off by a portal opening and Barbara coming out. She has cuts, bruises, and burns all across her body, her clothes scorched and torn. She groans as Jason and Alfred pick her up and transfer her to a medical bed. Jason looks back at Alfred. "Should we take her to the others now or wait until she wakes up."

"I believe that the others should see her before she wakes up, because we have to idea what happened to her while she was away. But We should see that he wounds are attended to first before the others see her."

Jason nods and starts helping Alfred clean up her wounds before going to the zeta tubes and transporting with Barbara in arms to the Watch Tower. When arrives all Leaguers and Team members are surprised to Jason with Barbara. They rush her to the medical bay to monitor as they wait for her to wake-up. 


	3. Chapter 3

Jason is waiting with the rest of the Team as Kaldur, Mera, and Arthur were brought in to help heal her wounds along with Zatanna and Dr. Fate, and one of them – no one is sure which – is to try and trace her memories. Find out where she and the others went and why they have been very M.I.A. Jason knows that this cannot be easy for Zatanna and Kaldur; they have fought alongside Barbara and Dick for years, especially Dick and Kaldur being the two that can predict the others movements, working so well in sink for years. Now Kaldur is on the League as Aquaman and Dick abandoned the life. The irony.

Jason was always the reckless one on the team. Whether it was him and Dick out on a mission, him and Bruce or a Team mission. He is sure that if anyone and everyone had thought about which member or members of the Batfamily would leave the life and go rouge or more anti-hero than hero Jason is a hundred percent sure he’s on the list. But then he died and now he is back, his brothers and dad are gone.

As he awaits the results, he observes the others. Cassie is flying back and forth, pacing. She has filled him in on Tim and what he is like. To be honest, Jason was the happiest when he found out that Bruce had taken Tim on as Robin shortly after he had “died”, he also does not like the fact that Bruce as Batman was becoming more reckless with his opponents, and Tim taking on Robin helped him. To put it simply, Jason is conflicted on how he feels about his new younger brother. Jason continues to watch Cassie as she starts muttering to herself, whether it is concern for Barbara and the rest of Bruce’s family that is M.I.A or a threat to Tim, he is not sure. If it is a threat, he does not want to be Tim’s shoes. He has done some training with Wonder Woman and the other Leaguers, they all have at one point or another. She can fight and if she has been training Cassie, then Tim better be prepared for the fight of his life.

* * *

Zatanna is combining her powers with Dr. Fate to go in to Barbara’s mind to trace her memories back to when she, Bruce, Tim, and Dick left and where they went while Kaldur, Mera, and Arthur use their magic to heal Barbara’s injuries. In unspoken words, Zatanna hopes it can heal Barbara so that she can walk again. What the Joker did to her is unforgiveable and if she can walk again then the Joker will get to major slaps in the face. Seeing Jason alive and Barbara walking will send the clown into an even madder state, and hopefully into one that means he cannot hurt another person ever again.

Closing her eyes, she and Dr. Fate recite the incantation and they enter her mind.

It all happens in flashes. First is when she is just a young teen attending Gotham Academy with Dick and they are messing around, or rather Dick is and Barbara is just trying to keep him in line. It kinda warms Zatanna’s heart that Dick was the same in and outside of the hero gig. The next memory is when she becomes Batgirl having after figuring who Batman and Robin really were and taking on some of the bad guys they took on before she even teamed up with them. Then it is Barbara being introduced to The Team alongside Jason, her first mission with them, losing Jason, meeting Tim.

Then it hits.

She is writing a letter but Zatanna cannot make out who it goes to, then she sees Barbara handing it out to Alfred. Zatanna had met him when she and Dick had dated but honestly that was because Alfred tends to find things out, even things that even Bruce wants secret he finds out. And it honestly amazes her that no one has ever really thought to go after the man. Then again she has fought him in hand-to-hand combat and the man can fight, maybe it is a good thing no one has gone after him.

“Zatanna,” she hears. She looks over at Dr. Fate. “We’re about to get to the memory that answers our questions. Are you ready?”

Zatanna nods, even if a small part of her is not exactly ready. Dick, Barbara, Bruce, and Tim have been off world for quite some time and whatever they are facing could be a big nightmare for the Team and League.

Barbara enters a space ship after Bruce, Dick, and Tim. She takes a seat as they launch. In the back she can hear Tim worried about something and Dick reassuring him. Suddenly, there is a planet on fire, literally on fire all around that they go to.

“Is everyone ready?” Bruce asks. “Strap in.” They all nod and the ship starts accelerating towards the planet. When they get there, they all exit the ship taking hiding spots as they observe their surroundings. There are creatures everywhere, flying above, by what Zatanna assumes to be a door. A loud screech pierces the sky, the four go into battle. All separated. Dick and Bruce are very badly injured. She can barely see Tim’s, but Dick as a large cut across his chest running down to his abdomen, bruises on his face, holes in his suit. It takes all of Zatanna’s strength to not snap out of Barbara’s memories, find the planet and get to Dick and help him. Then kick ass for all this shit he has pulled, this one is probably in the top three. All the memories start flashing, Zatanna can hear screams from her friends, the creatures. She is not sure how long it lasts, but soon things settle with Barbara and Tim being alone, no telling how long they have been on this planet.

“Is it ready?” Barbara asks.

Tim nods, pulling something out. “It will take you back home.”

“You mean us.”

“No.” Tim shakes his head. “You. It can only take one person and with Bruce and Dick gone, you are the only logical choice as your dad and the rest of our enemies will not be expecting you.”

“But what about-“

“Just tell them, okay? Tell her?” During their talk Tim actives the gadget pushing Barbara through, the last thing heard is Tim screaming, then she is in the Bat Cave with Jason and Alfred.


	4. Chapter 4

Diana is in the training room of the Watch Tower with Artemis, and no not the one that goes by Tigress now, a fellow Amazon. Or former Amazon, as Artemis and a few others left Thymscira while eventually settling in Egypt and accepting the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Of course, Artemis has been all over the world especially in the United States. She has been an ally to the League, never having joined The Team but proving herself to be a very notable hero.

“He kept me in the dark!” Diana grunts as she and Artemis box. Artemis does not say anything as she watches the princess of her homeland fight her frustration. “I know he is not the most open person in the world. Hell Joker is probably more open than him.” Diana stops and takes a breath. All her frustrations and anger out as all her other emotions of sadness and betrayal left in their wake. “We have always kept a lot of people in the dark about a lot of things. It’s just. . . . I never thought that he would keep me in the dark about anything. We were some of each other’s first allies when all of us heroes were starting to come together. . .”

Artemis does not need Diana to explain any further. When Artemis still lived on Thymscira and Diana would visit, she and Artemis would spar and talk about life on the island and what Diana’s life was like in the modern world. Even if Diana did not notice it then, Artemis could tell that the princess was taken with the Dark Knight.

“And then there is Tim and Cassie. Tim does what he is told all the time no questions asked. Cassie gives him space and the small freedom to make his own decisions. But this? Whatever Bruce has planned something tells me Tim did not speak his true thoughts about it; he went along with it not thinking about what it could mean.”

Artemis lays a reassuring hand on Diana’s shoulder.

Zatanna snaps back into reality falling backwards, Dr. Fate catching her. “Zatanna, are you okay?” He asks.

Zatanna groans as she opens her eyes, first focusing on Fate then on Barbara. “Yeah. But. . . what was that? What did we just see? I have never seen anything like that before.” Fate stays silent, Zatanna starts pleading with him calling him both Nabu and Dad. This causes Fate to concede.

“That was Apokolips, it the rival planet to New Genesis and its people, the New Gods, are forces of light. The people of Apokolips are the opposite. In which the New Gods will help those in need, those of Apokolips enslaves them. Doing whatever they want. The two planets are connected, one cannot exist without the other.”

“They keep a balance.” The magician reasons.

Fate nods. “If one dies and the other survives. . . . well, that is something that we should hope we never see.”

“I think we should get the others in here.” Fate agrees.

* * *

Jason is about to ask Cassie if she is okay when Fate and Zatanna enter the room coming from the medical bay with Diana and a red head – he has never seen her before and Bruce and Dick and especially Alfred, have trained him to know the names of his teammates and a list of some of their allies. The down side is that because Diana lived on an island that is only women the only people Jason know from there are Diana, Queen Hippolyta, and Donna Troy (currently under the alias Troya). None of the other Amazon Warriors have their names in any Justice League or Batcave files.

Zatanna speaks, starting off with noting that John and Shayera watching over Barbara for any signs of her waking. Zatanna tells them of the memories they went through while in Barbara’s mind, every flash point and what they had seen on Apokolips and explaining what Apokolips is. The more Jason hears about what his family was doing the more he can feel his insides twisting. Not many things scare him but this? Yeah, this is something that is scaring him. Good thing Bruce taught him how to hide his emotions. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Cassie tense up, one of her hands clinching while the other is shaking. Almost reaching for a phantom hand to clasp that is not there.

* * *

Tim groans as he slowly opens his eyes, trying to focus his vision. He is hoping that the device worked and that Babs was able to make it out. He is not sure where he is, but as he observes his surroundings, he tries to find Bruce and Dick. He cannot tell where he is lying as he stares at the wall in front of him, above and below, side to side. Nothing. He is hoping that Bruce and Dick – even if they did not want to – left him alone on Apokolips. Maybe they think he is dead and they are on the way to the League. Whether it is for help or to recover he does not care. As long they are safe, Tim is happy. Of course, if they are getting help he hopes that Cassie stays away. That she stays on Earth with The Outsiders. She may hate him now, and he does not blame her, and he knows with the hero gig there is always going to be danger, but he does not want her on Apokolips. She could be hurt beyond what they are used to. Being here could also mean that she could die, and _yes_ he knows that she can handle herself. That she is willing to give her life for the mission. But if she got hurt or died because of him he will not be able to forgive himself.

Hearing heavy footsteps, he sees Darkside looming. The smile on his face is the creepiest one he has ever seen. And that is saying something because he has seen people that have been Jokerized. “Well Little Birdie,” He says, voice booming yet quiet at the same time. “I think it’s time we make some adjustments.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. . . I want to start a story in which the Team goes undercover in the UK and has to disguise themselves as performers for SIX (good musical, highly recommend) I just don't know if I should do S1 Team, or S2 Team, or a Team that is in between. and also doing one in which I take some Bruce/Diana moments from Justice League TV shows/movies and put in all the different Robins and some of my favorite ships with them.


	5. Chapter 5

Barbara screams as she wakes up. Her short time on Apokolips is definitely going to leave nightmares and scars for the rest of her life. She does not even realize that she is screaming until John and Shayera are at her side, calming her down. How a Thanagarian and Green Lantern are able to get her to stop screaming in seconds she will never know; but that does not mean that her heart has stopped beating a million miles a minute. The things she saw, heard, it is all too much.

“It’s okay Barbara, you’re safe. You’re with the League.” John reassures.

Barbara takes in her surroundings and the two Leaguers. “. . . I actually made it back. I didn’t think I would.” This disturbs the two Leaguers, but before they could say anything else Barbara informs them that she needs to see the others.

John and Shayera help her into her wheelchair and walk behind her as they make their way out to the others. As they come upon them it is clear that Cassie and Jason are asking questions. Honestly, if it were not for the fact that Bruce, Dick, and Tim are in danger on Apokolips she would be more shocked that Jason is alive again and not in the ground.

Zatanna is the first to notice them, along with Kaldur and Dr. Fate. Kaldur is the first to speak up. “How do you feel?”

“Fine.” Barbara’s mind is running as fast as her heart, maybe faster. She does not take notice of the stares of her teammates, former teammates, and the Leaguers. She does not notice how rude and cold she just sounded when responding to Kaldur. As she faces them she takes a deep breath. She asks what they already know; Dr. Fate fills them in what they know. Barbara thanks him as she tells them what she knows, filling in some holes.

“As you know, Bruce, Dick, Tim and I separated on Apokolips. We thought that would be the best course of action as we would be able to take out Darkside. He is the only person from Apokolips and Bruce deduced a while ago that we might have to fight him and thought if we took him off guard then we would not have to face him and his demons later on.”

“His. . . demons?” Bart pipes up. “As in what he deals with on the inside?”

“No. Literal demons. Most that we saw flew. Honestly, I am not sure how long I was on Apokolips, we turned the time off because we didn’t think it would take long. But we were wrong. I saw Bruce get stabbed in his arms before they got broke, Dick got surrounded and I heard him scream multiple times. But I saw those creatures take them off somewhere but I’m not sure where.”

“What about Tim?” Barbara squeezes her eyes shut as Cassie brings him up. Seeing Zatanna’s and Diana’s faces as she brought up what happened to Bruce and Dick was hard but she at least knows somewhat of what happened to them. Somewhat, she can only assume that they were taken off and killed somewhere because the other side is that Darkside might have them and that is not good.

“Tim and I were separated for a while. We had briefly discussed a possibility about coming back here together. We chose against it because we wanted to bring Bruce and Dick back with us dead or alive. That’s when things started going haywire, we were fighting to stay alive.” She stops and takes a breath. “Tim had an idea that I was completely against. He wanted to make a device that would be able to transport one of us back here while the other was on Apokolips. I told him he was crazy. Mostly because what would happen if we found Dick and Bruce? They would need help immediately and we could not wait for how long his new device to charge. We spent hours, days even, maybe a week or so at most trying to find them. We couldn’t.” Barbara takes note of the tears in Diana’s and Zatanna’s eyes. Raquel and Artemis the Amazon placing reassuring hands on their friend’s shoulders. Even though Cassie is trying to hide, Barbara can tell she is shaking.

“Each spare moment we could, Tim and I tried to find the parts he needed. Our search for Bruce and Dick not going well. One night we knew it was most likely our last chance to get a clean getaway and Tim had finished the device. At this point we knew it was probably just the two of us.” Barbara starts choking and a tear slips down her face as she thinks about the last time she saw Tim, her youngest brother. “I was so sure he would make sure the two of us could come back but I was wrong. He told me only one of us would be able to go through. He activated, those creatures started screeching and the next thing I know I’m being pushed through and then I’m at the Batcave.”

Her head hangs. Seeing Diana’s and Zatanna’s faces is heart breaking and seeing Cassie’s added to it, as if their entire worlds have just ended. “I can only assume whatever happened to Dick and Bruce may have happened to him as well.”

After Barbara stops, her tears falling as much as much Diana’s, Cassie’s, and Zatanna’s. Cassie leans on M’gann a while Zatanna leans on Raquel.

“They aren’t dead.” Jason pipes up, everyone looking at him. “Look, I know I’ve been gone a while but my instincts are telling me that they are still alive. They wanted to take Darkside by surprise? Then that is what we do. He will not be expecting the entire League, much less who he may see as ‘sidekicks’. If we attack him directly he will not be able to take us all on.”

“That may be true Jason, but say Tim, Bruce, and Dick are alive and we take on Darkside; we have to face the facts that he may have them brainwashed or worse. Not only that the entire League can’t go, that will leave Earth vulnerable to any attacks on the inside and out.” Kaldur reasons.

“I don’t care. I’m going with him to save them.” Cassie says, despite the crack and tearstains on her cheeks she is firm in her response. “Who else is in?”


	6. Chapter 6

“Are you sure about this Diana? Cassie?” Artemis the Amazon wonders as she helps the two pack.

“Yes.” Cassie is moving things silently on the ship, her mind preoccupied with who knows what. Not many of the Leaguers will be going, and that is because many of the Team and Outsiders will be going. Even former members. Barbara is going because she knows Apokolips the most so she might be able to help them with the layout. Aquaman, Rocket, Miss Martian, Superboy, Zatanna, and Artemis (Tigress) are going. Cassie, Barbara and Jason, leaving Orphan and Spoiler to watch over Gotham. Black Canary and Dr. Fate are the last of the Leaguers to go. Green Arrow is still in hot water with her so she told him to stay here. The rest of the Leaguers and Outsiders and Team are staying and they will be called if they need any back up.

Alfred is now on the Watch Tower wishing everyone of them good luck. (And definitely not giving Jason and Barbara a scolding for going and to make sure that they stay safe and have enough food and first aid supplies because he is more than worried about them and everyone else going.)

“We’ll be fine Alfred.” Jason assures him. “And I’ll make sure that Babs doesn’t get into anymore trouble than she has on there.” Barbara playfully punches Jason’s shoulder. He gives a quick “ow” while rubbing the spot chuckling.

Zatanna and Dr. Fate are making sure that their magic arsenals are full and ready. M’gann and Conner saying goodbye to Beast Boy and making sure that he will take care of himself. Even if he has come to grasp with the loss of his mom, no one has any doubts that if he loses M’gann, J’onn and Beast Boy will be in very bad states for a while to come.

Artemis is in the grove saying goodbye to Wally’s hologram before entering the bay area. Everyone is finishing up their goodbyes when Kaldur goes to the front. “Is everyone leaving ready for departure?” Everyone nods. The ones that are not going want to shake their heads as they are not ready for their loved ones to leave but it is not their choice. Kaldur gives a nod; those who are going start boarding the ship with some last waves and verbal ‘goodbye’s’ as they take their seats in the ship. Everyone wondering if they will ever see their loved ones again, but also hoping that they find Bruce, Dick, and Tim stop Darkside and everyone that is going hopefully comes back with very little scratches. Though with how Barbara has described Apokolips they know that that is asking for too much and just hope they all just come back in one piece.

“Do not fear. We will make it back and when we do I have no doubt that we will have Batman, Nightwing, and Robin with us. Until we return, John Stewart and J’onn will be in charge. Alfred will be with Spoiler and Orphan. Beast Boy will be with Outsiders, and Red Arrow will be in charge of the Team. I have faith that all of you will be able to keep Earth safe.” With that Kaldur turns and enters the ship, the door closing behind him. M’gann and Conner in the pilot seats starting the jets as they leave the Watch Tower.

They have been in the ship for some time, Apokolips still sometime away. Zatanna is next to Black Canary who is looking out into space. She observes her other passengers. Just like Dinah, Artemis is also staring out into space. Rocket and Kaldur are talking she is still probably giving him grief for being undercover for so long. Dr. Fate is next to Diana and she cannot see their faces at all. In the very back is Cassie that is observing space as well, but she seems more spaced out than Artemis or Dinah. Getting up, Zatanna makes her way to Cassie. Wonder Girl being so lost in thought that she did not even notice Zatanna’s presents next to her. It is not until Zatanna speaks that Cassie notices her.

“Are you okay?”

Cassie jumps turning to face the magician. “Yeah. It’s just. . . I have been trying to think why Tim at least wouldn’t tell me about Apokolips. Sure, Batman is strict and Tim probably couldn’t tell me everything like why he left the Team, but Apokolips. . . We used to go on dates to parts of the world that Diana and Bruce wouldn’t be able to find us and no one knew in our personal lives. I’m wondering if he even trusted me to begin with.”

“I don’t think Tim not telling you is him not trusting you. I think it was his way of trying to protect you. Tim speaks more with actions than words and it was more of a way of protecting you. Maybe he thought that if he didn’t tell you it would be easier.”

“He knows I can take care of myself.”

“He does. But think about it, we saw how badly Barbara was when she came back from Apokolips. If you got hurt in any way by Darkside or by his demons, Tim wouldn’t forgive himself and probably scold himself because he thought there was a way to protect you.”

“Maybe it was his train of thought, but it still hurts.”

Zatanna places a hand on Cassie’s shoulder. “It’s okay to hurt. Just talk to him when we find him.”

Just then in front of them Apokolips appears. That is when Kaldur stands up. “When we get there, we will be split up into teams. Miss Martian and Superboy, Tigress and Dr. Fate, Wonder Woman and Black Canary, Oracle and Red Hood, Zatanna and Wonder Girl, lastly Rocket and myself. Once we get there we will split up. We will take out any demons that come our way, storm Darkside’s castle and find any traces we can of our friends.”

With that Conner comes over the speakers telling everyone to take a seat as they speed up to Apokolips.


	7. Chapter 7

They land in very shadowed spot on Apokolips. Raquel and Conner carrying extra water on them for M’gann and Kaldur if/when they need it. They knew that coming to Apokolips it would be hotter than anything they have dealt with before.

“Oracle,” Kaldur speaks. “What do you suppose we do?”

“We split up. Three teams head inside while the other three stay outside as a diversion. Once the three teams that are going inside, they split-up and look for any signs they can of Batman, Nightwing, and Robin.”

“You have been here before. You should pick which teams go where.”

“Dr. Fate and Tigress, Black Canary and Wonder Woman, Rocket and Aquaman you stay out here. Red Hood, Zatanna, Wonder Girl, Superboy, Miss Martian, and I will head inside.”

No one disagrees. Just in time too as some of the parademon birds start showing up. The three teams meant to go inside start heading that way as Black Canary lets out one of her infamous cries scaring the birds away. It scares the birds away for a moment before the others have to start using their abilities to take them on. Rocket wastes no time in encasing them, Kaldur starts swinging, every person staying outside doing what they can to cover their friends.

The six that are going inside, also do what they can to help their friends out. Zatanna is zapping them, Conner and Cassie using their super strength to create any obstacle they can and to chuck anything they can to get the demonic birds away from their friends. It takes little effort before the six are actually inside.

“Is it me,” Zatanna says in the mental link M’gann has set. “Or was getting inside a little too easy.”

“You’re not wrong Zatanna. We need to keep our guards up. Something tells me that this isn’t going to be easy.” Conner says.

Everyone else could not agree more. As soon as they stepped foot inside Darkside’s castle or whatever it is, a heavy and unsettling feeling has settled in their guts. Even the members outside fighting could feel it. They will not admit, not allowed but they are all very scared.

A loud clanking noise is heard from down the hall. It takes Cassie seeing the twitch in Conner’s ears before he can even get a word out to the others before she is running down the corridor. Cassie is out of sight before they can stop her.

“I think some of us should go after her.” Jason remarks.

“Conner and I will do it.” M’gann states, not that Conner would object much. He knows what it is like to be in Cassie’s shoes. Impulsive, wanting to get the mission done and not caring about the consequences.

“She’s my partner, I should go to.” Zatanna tries to reason.

“You go with Jason and Barbara. You can use your magic to conceal yourselves and find your way around her. We will find you when we find Cassie.” Conner replies.

No one objects.

With that M’gann and Conner go the way Cassie went, with Jason, Barbara, and Zatanna going the opposite way. Zatanna having casted a spell to keep any noise they make quiet and to hide any way for Darkside to know they are there. Jason puts on his red helmet as they go about their way.

* * *

“M’gann, are you okay?” Conner asks inside their heads. He does not need to see her to know how she is feeling.

“I’m not sure. It’s weird. I can’t get a grip on Cassie anymore but I am starting to get a feel for someone we know but everything is so mixed up that I cannot get a tell on who it is. I want to think that the others have made it inside but something is telling me that it isn’t one of them.”

Before Conner can even ask what she means he hears her grunt. Turning to see what is wrong, Conner feels something hit him in the back of his head. He falls to the ground with a loud thud. Before he falls unconscious he says M’gann laying down something on the back of her neck, he cannot make out what it is but he can see something black with some red and maybe some yellow. Then everything fades to black.

* * *

“I wish there was a way for us to know how the others are doing.” Barbara says aloud.

“If there was, I would have no doubt that Darkside would know we are here or would find a way to use it against us.” Jason remarks a bit coldly.

Barbara starts observing her surroundings trying to figure out a way they can try and find Darkside in this place. Before she can voice and possible ideas a little dart hit the back of her neck causing her to black out. Both her partners notice, Jason reading himself with his weapons, Zatanna letting out a burst of magic that causes the new person in their party to reveal themselves.

In front of them is person neither of them was expecting. He was in a full black unitard with shoulder pads, a domino mask covering his blue eyes, his midnight hair running a little past his ears. His eskrima sticks on his right, parts of the upper body of his unitard is grey, but expanding across his chest is a bird. A bird from a story that Superman once told the Team about back in year zero, just days after they had defeated the League on the Watch Tower. Superman had never really been at the Cave much but he wanted to get to know Conner more so he started visiting more and telling them all stories that he could.

But the bird is not blue like it normally is. How it was when first came to designing this costume and seeing it come to life. Instead, it is red. Something that even though associated with Robin, he did not want because of how he had lost a brother.

“Nightwing.” Zatanna sucks in a breath.


	8. Chapter 8

Zatanna stares at Nightwing something feels off about him, but she can’t name it. 

“Who is the person under the Red Hood?” Dick asks.

“Really?” Jason says. “Y’know, with all the time you’ve been around Batdad, the time you have spent learning to take in the movements of everyone around you or close to you, you don’t recognize you own little brother?”

Dick grits his teeth. “Tim is not here.”

Zatanna can only assume he means in this section of Darkside’s lair because if Tim is not on Apokolips then who knows where he is. Tim could be headed to Earth, Oa, or other planets.

“I’m not Tim.” Jason removes his helmet, revealing his messy black hair. Something snaps inside of Dick as he stares at Jason, eyes widening behind his mask.

“J-Jason? But. . . how. . . why. . .?”

“Does it matter?”

“Y-you died so, yes; I think it---” Dick shouts as he grabs his head.

 _Whatever I was feeling before is being amplified now_. Zatanna thinks. Jason jumps into action by going over to Dick to help or fight depending on what happens and Zatanna starts a spell of magic tracing. Essentially this spell will find any magic used or being used and the source, and it will not count the castor or their magic.

As Zatanna is in her trance spell-thing, Jason is focused on Dick. Helping his big brother. Quite the contrary belief, Bruce has not chosen to give Jason and possibly even Tim the name of Robin. That was Dick. Bruce and Jason, when Jason was getting ready to go on patrol, were coming up with names for him. Did Jason want to go by Robin? Yes, but he did not want to take away from Dick. Bruce may have accepted him but he was not sure if Dick had. He had been hoping that he could take up the mantle of Robin when he thought that he had proved himself to Dick.

But to his surprise Dick had given him the go-ahead to be Robin. It had felt Jason with warmth because he felt like he was a part of a family where everyone helped one another, instead of an absentee parent while the other was struggling to keep him and her together until she had gotten sick.

“Dick, Richard, Big Bro, listen to me. Listen to my voice. It’s me. Jason. Remember when you and Bruce and Alfred threw me a party a year after I became Bruce’s ward? Or when we threw Bruce a surprise birthday party with the help of Alfred and some of the Leaguers? Or when we surprised Alfred with a homecooked meal from us to thank him for all that he does? Dick. You are one of the best and strongest people I know. Whatever hold Darkside has on you, you can fight it!”

After that Dick stops shouting/grunting, and stares at Jason. The second eldest Bat child feels a sigh of relief as his older brother stands before him.

* * *

Zatanna is scanning every inch of the palace in her mind as her magic is trying to find any other magic user. And. It. Is. Stressful. She is finding bits of magic here and there and all over the place. It is like having made batches of cookies, put them in a jar, and trying to find the culprit but the crumbs are not leading to even one person!

Wait.

She is getting a strong sense of magical energy coming from the ceiling. The issue is that it is suddenly everywhere almost imploding in the part of the ceiling above them.

Due to Jason being busy with Dick and Zatanna using her magic tracking, neither of them notices Klaron appear behind Zatanna. He had felt a magic presence here and when he found out it was The Sorcerer Supreme’s daughter, he decided to have some fun.

He used a spell that would mislead the tracker and would still even if they are in the same room. Smirking, Klaron then makes a magic sphere and throws it at Zatanna, hitting her in the middle of her back, knocking her out of her concentration and hitting the floor with a hard thud. Hearing the thud, Dick and Jason stop what they are doing and look over at Zatanna then Klaron, who is laughing mechanically.

  
“Zatanna!” Jason cries, running to help her. That is when he feels an electric charge run over his entire body. He half expects to see someone, maybe even this Tim kid, to be in the room now but instead he can see Dick walking behind him with a stun gun. Jason grits his teeth, urging his body to get and move and punch Dick in the face, but his limbs are not responding to his commands, he cannot even say a word. Only grunting and groaning as he lays paralyzed on the floor.

Slowly opening her eyes, Zatanna sees Dick and Klaron (he moved over and is floating next to the eldest protégé of Batman). Klaron is still cackling while Dick remains motionless.

“You know, I knew you two had similarities: sneakiness, cunning, planning, even being little ninjas when your missions call for it. I just never thought Nightwing would use such underhanded tactics like fake being in pain until he has his opponent where he wants him. Then again, he trained under Batman. Even if Nightwing wants to be very different and set apart from Batman he will always be the Bat’s shadow.”

Zatanna does not many of the words she is saying, she does not like comparing anyone to Klaron, but she needs to get through to Dick. Get him to snap out of things, and if that means she must be the one to pull some dirty tricks to do then so be it.

“HEY! NO ONE COMPARES TO ME!” Klaron cries. He wanted to say that he does not play dirty tricks like that, but everyone in the room knows that that is a lie. He then shocks Zatanna and Jason. As they scream out in agony something inside Dick snaps.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the little hiatus y'all, I didn't even realize it.
> 
> Mostly I have been on Instagram recently doing art things, but I don't think that's an excuse.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you like it.

M’gann and Conner have been going down this long corridor in search of Cassie for what feels like eternity but in reality must have been about three minutes.

“Are you able to get a read on her?” Conner asks telepathically to M’gann as to avoid Darkside and his creatures.

“Nothing.” M’gann responds. “It’s like she just disappeared.”

“Like when Mad Mod had kidnapped part of the team and put them in school to try and brainwash them?”

“More like when she goes to Themyscira for a week, and even if we are in range of the island, I still can’t feel her on a psychic level.”

“That’s not good.”

It is not, and both know why. While Cassie may be training on Themyscira and getting to know about that part of herself more and learn more of their culture and way of life, with Darkside it could mean that he has captured her or is personally separating them.

“Whatever is happening. . . it isn’t good.”

Neither will admit it, at least not in this moment, but ever since they have arrived on Apokolips, something has come over them weighing heavy on their shoulder, making their stomachs feel like lead and having dropped down to their feet.

When the half-Kryptonian sees the look of distress on his fiancé’s face, he takes the time to remind her of a time when things did not seem as grim.

It was around the time when Cassie and Time were a half-year into their relationship. Both were still nervous about their feelings and they were nervous in how long the relationship was going to last. Well, because one of those long school breaks was coming up, Diana had asked Cassie and her mom is Cassie would like to be at Themyscira for more than a week. Cassie was excited, but she had decided to talk it over with Tim since men aren’t allowed on the island and the chances of them having a frequent good line of communication was slim.

They had gone off and talked for hours. In the end, they had decided that it would be nice for Cassie to go away for a little while and not talk as often as they were at that point so that when she got back they could talk to each other about things they have gone, both on and off the field.

Ever since the Reach was stopped their wasn’t much for the Leaguers or the Team to do, but they were still active. Meanwhile, Cassie was very busy on Themyscira. To this day no one on the Team is exactly sure what happened, even some of the Leaguers are still in the dark. But whatever happened, it must have been bad for Queen Hippolyta to ask Diana to get the League and Team involved, knowing full well that some of them might be men. The Queen did not care.

In the end, when the Team and League got there, the threat was already defeated and many of the Amazons looked over at Cassie with pride, even smiling which was uncommon for some of them. Instead of fighting, all the heroes that were sent there helped rebuild the island, and just before they departed Queen Hippolyta called Cassie out in front of everyone, claiming that since Cassie showed such great strength and determination regardless of how hopeless the situation was, she had proven herself to be a true Amazon. So, they offered the young California hero a place on the island for her to stay.

They were all happy for Cassie of course, because even being on Themyscira means that she might have a chance at the smallest rate of immortality, not to mention she would train with some of the best female warriors around.

But it was also scary for them because that means they would be losing a friend, and no doubt that Tim and Cassie’s relationship would have been frowned upon, and their already limited communication would have been mute.

Cassie had stood in front of everyone, approaching the Queen. All of her friends from the modern world holding their breaths as she stopped just a few steps before the Ruler of the Amazons.

The young warrior had told the Queen that she would be delighted in taking the offer, but when she thinks about it in the long run, she had no telling of when she would return to the outside world she had grown up in, and if she did no one could say how much time had passed when she did. Would it have been in the same year or so? Or when everyone she knew and fought along was older? Or dead? Or their fates being unknown?

With that Wonder Girl had turned down the Queens offer. She then went over and sat next to Tim and grabbed his hand, squeezing it slighty then kissing his cheek causing him to blush (Batman gave a small smirk-smile thing instead of a more brooding look, and if Batman brooded anymore than usual it meant that someone was going to get an earful).

Even as Dick, Babs, Stephanie, Cass, and Tim were leaving the Watch Tower after they had returned home the former four were teasing Tim and giving a hard time as siblings do.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

The loud noise breaks the two out of the memory as they prepare for a fight, but they do not get the chance. “Guys!” They hear a familiar voice say, it belonged to someone they have not seen in a couple of years. And not because he had decided to retire from the Hero Life when he was starting college, but because he had done something major with the Reach that lead to their victory---

“Man, have I missed you guys.”

“STOP IT!” Conner shouts, he is getting more amped up at hearing the voice because there is no way that it is him. If there was any sign of him being alive they would of known, any member of the League or Team would of told them. Especially Kaldur and Dick, because they know if they had kept this a secret it would have been the worst fallout yet.

“AH!” M’gann screams telepathically as she falls to the ground. Conner calls her name, keeping his eyes open for their opponent, but whoever it is they are too fast.

“Gah!” Something hits the back of Conner’s neck sending an electric shock down his entire body, his body suddenly feeling like bricks as he goes down. Just before things go black he can see the blurry image of an old familiar friend.


	10. Not a Chapter

Hi everyone, this next chapter is taking longer due to school work.

But I thought I'd pop in here to let you all know that I am opening some writing commissions up and the information will be up on my Instagram (Toomanyocsqueen) at some point tomorrow, March 2.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm thinking of either having Barbara or Dick return maybe towards the end of the next chapter or the beginning of the third. I would love to hear your opinions on that and the first chapter over all.


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